


From Broken to Whole

by MoonlitPaladin (MoonlitStardust)



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: (It's not much but I have to tag it), Cute Awkward Beans, Fluff, Injury, M/M, Mention of blood, Surfers, Surfing, shance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-08
Updated: 2017-04-08
Packaged: 2018-10-14 22:40:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,002
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10545550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MoonlitStardust/pseuds/MoonlitPaladin
Summary: After a nice afternoon surf turns into a trip to the emergency room, Shiro has pretty much given up on having a decent day. A second run in with the stunning surfer who had helped him back to shore, however, definitely starts to lift his spirits.





	

**Author's Note:**

> For my lovely friend [Ani](https://maniacani.tumblr.com/), whose gorgeous art is always an inspiration- I hope that I’ve done our surfer boys justice and that you enjoy!
> 
> (GO FOLLOW AND STALK HER BLOG FOR QUALITY CONTENT. [Here's the link](http://maniacani.tumblr.com/post/159350479843/take-a-shance-lance-and-shiro-from-voltron) to the art of hers that spawned this story! Please go show her the love she deserves!)
> 
> # ☽ MP ☾

Shiro had known better than to go out on the water after the day he’d had, had known better than to allow himself onto the board when all he could focus on was the fact that he’d had an exceptionally brutal morning, but he hadn’t cared; the water, the sound of crashing waves, and the feel of the spray on his skin made him feel energized and alive. The sea was a contradiction, an ever moving constant that was still simultaneously unpredictable, and there was something about it that he found fascinating and alluring. He thought about that a lot, his own recklessness coupled with the unpredictable water, as he was helped to shore by the young man holding tightly to his waist while he held a cupped hand around his gushing nose and tried desperately not to touch it.

 

He’d had a few good waves before he’d decided to break, feeling his stomach and head simultaneously begin throwing a fit at his brilliant idea to skip lunch, and had kicked out. The shore hadn’t been too far, maybe ten or twelve feet, when a wave lurched up from his left and slammed down on the rail of his board. It had been so fast that he hadn’t had the forethought to cover his face and head when he’d tumbled so, when the second wave crashed down on his shoulders, he was unprepared for the painful connection of the nearly cement-like sand floor and his face.

 

The impact had been so severe that, despite the whirling of water in his ears, he could have sworn he heard the ‘crack’ at the upper bridge of his nose as both his board and his body was forced against the sea floor. It wasn’t his first time getting ‘washing machined,’ and he doubted it would be his last, but the intense pain radiating through his face had caused him to panic and, in doing so, he gave up more oxygen that he’d realized. It had taken a great deal of energy to fight against the pain and grope blindly for his board, breaking the surface with a sputtering breath.

 

Luckily for him, there had been another surfer on his way to shore and he’d seen him go under.

 

“Hey! Hey, are you okay?”

 

Shiro had turned towards the sound of the voice, still panting for air, and had assumed he’d drowned because the beautiful, concerned, face he found himself staring at was nothing short of angelic. His rescuer, a handsome young man with a glimmering bronzed complexion and the most captivating blue eyes that he’d ever seen, had immediately moved towards him quickly once he saw the blood coming from his nose.

 

“ _Shit_ , you are definitely no okay, c’mon buddy; we have to get you to shore.”

 

Shiro hadn’t had the ability to do anything but nod when the man took a firm hold of him and helped move him.

 

“Don’t worry, we’ll get a lifeguard and call you an ambulance,” the young man told him, though Shiro wasn’t sure which one of them he was trying to assure as he looked a little green around the gills at the sight of the blood dripping down his top lip.

 

When they made it ashore, the man unhooked both of their leashes and sat their boards off to the side while he firmly, albeit gently, forced Shiro to sit.

 

“Wait here, okay? I’ll get somebody.”

 

Shiro waited until he ran off towards the nearest tower before he let his hand fall away from his face, splaying his fingers and grimacing at the blood that dribbled over his digits. The radiating throb in his nose had spread, pulsing beneath both his eyes, and it was hard to concentrate over the ache. The sun beat down on him and the warm breeze dried his damp skin as he waited for the man to return.

 

“Here he is!”

 

Squinting, Shiro turned to see him returning with a lifeguard in tow. He sat at his left while the lifeguard knelt on his right, opening the first aid kit he’d brought to begin cleaning the blood off of his face so that he could properly assess the damage. It was strangely comforting to have the company of the other surfer while the lifeguard asked him a series of questions to determine his level of consciousness and called for an ambulance.

 

“Hey,” Shiro asked, turning to towards the young man while the lifeguard spoke to the EMT, “thank you for helping me.”

 

“No problem! I’m just glad that you’re okay,” he smiled with a dismissive wave of his hand before running the hand over his forehead to sweep back the wet strands of chestnut hair, “can I do anything for you?”

 

The sound of an ambulance became audible in the distance, the piercing wail prompting Shiro to remember that he couldn’t take his things with him.

 

“Would you mind keeping my board? If it’s just a broken nose then I should be back in a few hours and if it’s not, well, I don't suppose you could come back tomorrow?”

 

“Sure, I don’t mind at all! Your board is safe with me! I hope everything goes well; good luck.”

 

“Thanks- Uh-”

 

“Lance,” he supplied, extending a hand that Shiro took into his left for a shake.

 

“Thank you, Lance.”

 

He didn’t know if he was imagining things or if he’d just hit his head a lot harder than he’d realized, but there was something about the way that Lance’s hand fit in his own, something about the tingle in his palm from the contact of his skin, that had his heart dancing a strange new rhythm.

 

“Any time. I’ll stay as long as you need.”

 

Shiro shook his head and immediately regretted it, the motion sending tendrils of pain through his forehead and down into his cheeks.

 

“No, if it gets dark just go ahead and go home,” he managed, rubbing at his temple.

 

“You sure?”

 

“I’m sure.”

 

* * *

 

Lance watched as the EMTs finally arrived and joined them, helping Shiro onto the stretcher and putting on a protective barrier around his head and neck despite his multiple protests. From what he could gather as they strapped him in, the impact with the bottom could mean damage to his spinal cord or a concussion in addition to his nose. Shiro huffed at their constant questions and had sent lance a wry smile and small wave as they carted him back up to the ambulance.Though he’d never actually introduced himself, Lance had gotten his name when the lifeguard had begun asking him questions. _Shiro_. He rolled the name around on his tongue.

 

Lance had just kicked out when he’d noticed the second wave that had taken the larger man down. Surfers went under all the time, it wasn’t exactly a rare occurrence, but something about that particular instant bothered him. Going with his gut, he’d made for where he’d seen him disappear beneath the water. No matter how bad a wave seemed, the pull only lasted a handful of seconds and, if a surfer didn’t resurface quickly, then something had either gone wrong or they had begun to panic.

 

He had just gotten over to him when he saw him break the surface with a gasp, head turned away from him as he clutched at his board and coughed. Of course, it hadn’t been until he’d called out to him and seen the state of his appearance that he’d realized how bad it had been. The swelling had already begun and blood was running in steady rivers down his lips from both nostrils.

 

Lance was just glad to have been able to help.

 

* * *

 

When Shiro finally made his way back to that familiar stretch of shore, the sun was setting, casting it’s final rays over the glittering surface of the Pacific, the wet sand at the water’s edge glittering in golds and burnished orange. Shiro recognized him instantly from the bared torso and blue trunks. He was seated a few feet from the reach of the water, his knees pulled up to his chest so that he could rest his chin on top of them and wrap his arms around his legs. His face was lit in the warm tones of a waning sun as he stared out at the sea with a small, soft, smile, the colors dancing over his skin to bring out the sun kissed earth tones that left him with a dazzling sunset halo. The messy chestnut hair had dried and whipped around his face in the breeze, hiding his eyes. Both of their boards lay a few feet to his left.

 

“Hey, Lance.”

 

Lance’s head whipped around at the sound of his voice and his mouth turned up into a wide grin as he scrambled to his feet and wiped some of the sand from his legs.

 

“Hey, Shiro! They release you already?”

 

“Already? It’s seven. I was stuck in there for four hours,” he chuckled dryly, crossing his arms over his chest, “but you could have gone home.”

 

“Nah,” Lance shook his head, causing the shark tooth necklace he wore to shift across his chest, “I wanted to stay in case you came by.”

 

Shiro watched his vibrant iris’ flicker over his face.

 

“You look better,” Lance decided, tilting his head, “how are you feeling? What’s the verdict?”

 

“If I don’t look better than I did when my face was pouring blood and I could only squint, then I’d have to be one ugly guy,” he joked, hissing when the laugh sent a tendril of pain up into his sinuses, “one ugly guy who feels like _death_. Thankfully they said that there was no concussion and though I broke my nose, it was a clean break with no septim damage and it was ‘non-displaced’ so it’ll heal to the same shape and be fine but I can’t be in the water for at least 3 weeks while it heals.”

 

“Well you’re definitely not ugly-”

 

Lance’s mouth fell open into a perfect little ‘o’ as he realized that he’d said that aloud and he was quick to press onward, “-but, uh, anyway, yeah, that sucks, but at least you don’t have to have it reset or get surgery.”

 

“Yeah, small miracles,” Shiro grinned, a flutter of pleasure in his chest at the unbidden words and the reddened cheeks, “but I wanted to thank you for looking after my board.”

 

He wouldn’t comment on it, he decided as he watched Lance rub at the back of his neck, as cute and kind as it was.

 

“It was no biggie.”

 

Shiro shrugged a shoulder, “maybe not, but helping me out earlier definitely _was_. Are you hungry? How about you let me buy you dinner since you’ve been stuck out here babysitting my stuff all afternoon?”

 

Lance blinked, seemingly surprised by the offer, before he nodded enthusiastically.

 

“Alright, sure. Just let me get to my jeep so I can throw on a shirt, I doubt you want to be out with me looking like this,” he snickered, gesturing towards himself, “c’mon, I’m parked up here.”

 

Shiro didn’t say that he looked incredible the way he was, as much as he wanted to, that just wasn’t what you said to a total stranger, no matter how cute; and he _was_ cute. It wasn’t like him to feel the tug of attraction so quickly, he thought as the pair picked up their boards and made their way up the beach to the parking lot, and though he wanted to chalk it up to being overly thankful for his assistance, he couldn’t forget the way his skin had felt after he’d shaken his hand earlier that afternoon. There was just something about Lance that took the edge off, something about him that made him smile, and he couldn’t help but be curious. The pessimistic voice in the back of his told him that he might have sustained a concussion afterall.

 

By the time that they’d gotten their belongings situated in their vehicles and Lance had tossed on a black t-shirt, the sun had completely sunk below the line of the sea.

 

“There’s a pretty decent spot not too far from here if you just want to follow me,” Shiro suggested, pointing to his silver suv where it sat parked off to the right of Lance’s black jeep.

 

“Sounds good, I’m not picky,” Lance grinned, running a hand through his hair, “I’m great that way- AH!”

 

He’d been about to lean ‘casually’ against the edge of the jeep but had miscalculated the distance in the near darkness and his body shifted too far backwards, sending him towards the ground. Shiro had the good sense, and quick reflexes, to reach for his flailing arm and clasp his hand around his left forearm before he could hit the pavement.

 

“I’m sure you are.”

 

It was a challenge to not laugh at Lance’s petulant pout as he helped him back to his feet. They exchanged waves before they separated and Shiro waited until he was walking back to his SUV before he snickered.

 

“Wow, way to look like a moron,” Lance muttered to himself as he slid into the driver’s seat, pinching the bridge of his nose, “now he probably thinks that you’re a total spaz.”

 

The memory of the barely contained grin broke over his mind’s eye and he groaned as he tugged on his seatbelt and pulled out behind Shiro as he led the way. He hated how worked up he was over something as simple as a ‘thank you’ meal. The guy was attractive but so what; he saw tons of attractive men and women on the water. There was just something about him, some intangible, magnetic, pull that he just couldn’t deny, and it made him feel like a stupid teenager with a crush on the quarterback. He just couldn’t be smooth around that guy and that threw him off because Lance McClain was _not_ a dork.

 

_Lance McClain was a dork_. From nearly tripping over his own feet as he got out of the jeep to pulling a ‘push’ door for an embarrassingly long amount of time, nothing was going right. Shiro was kind enough to keep his smile as small as he could manage when he finally reached over his head and pushed the door forward to let him into the bar and grill that he’d led him to. When they were brought to their table, Lance slid into the opposite side of the booth and they ordered their drinks. The lights played off of the bruises on either side of Shiro’s nose and it was hard not to feel guilty for agreeing to be out with him when he felt as though he should be resting.

 

“You know, I didn’t think about it much before but should you really be out? Shouldn’t you be at home icing your nose? That’s gotta hurt like hell.”

 

“It’s not so bad now and you can’t keep ice on it forever. They kept it iced and gave me some painkillers while I was at the hospital so it’s alright for now. Worried about me?”

 

Lance couldn’t be sure if he was hearing things or if there really was a teasing lilt to those words.

 

“Somebody’s gotta,” he shrugged, “since you decided to headbutt the sand.”

 

“Smartass.”

 

“That’s what they call me,” he winked playfully.

 

Shiro rolled his eyes but that smile was still in place.

 

“Speaking of, I never got your last name before my ambulance ride.”

 

“Oh, right! It’s McClain, Lance McClain. Yours?”

 

“My name is Takashi Shirogane, but I just go by Shiro.”

 

“I like that, it’s different.”

 

“Thanks. So, Lance, tell me about yourself.”

 

Humming thoughtfully while he grabbed a piece of bread from the basket that their waitress sat down after taking their order, Lance thought for a moment.

 

“I’m twenty-four, I’m studying ecology, and when I get out of class you can normally catch me at the reef rescuing big dudes who look like they could bench me.”

 

He had the distinct pleasure of watching Shiro sputter into his coke as he took a drink.

 

“Oh yeah, a real _Prince Charming_ ,” Shiro rolled his eyes good naturedly as he wiped his mouth.

 

“What about you?”

 

“I’m twenty-nine, I’m a firefighter, and I’m usually much better at not almost drowning.”

 

“Well that explains the body then.”

 

Shiro raised a brow and leaned back against the back of his seat, an amused tilt to his lips.

 

“Were you checking me out while you were supposed to be rescuing me?”

 

“It was just an observation,” Lance defended, raising his chin and waving around the hunk of bread in his hand, “I was just curious if you actually had a reason for all that muscle or if you just wanted to be, like, the most ripped salesman at the Verizon store.”

 

It was ridiculous, it really was, how _warm_ he felt when Shiro laughed and it was with no short amount of desperation that Lance grabbed at his water and took several hearty gulps to dislodge the hunk of bread that had gotten wedged when the sound had him forgetting how to breathe.

 

“You’re a mess,” Shiro chuckled, slate eyes crinkling at the sides as his smile reached them.

 

“I hear that a lot too. So, do you surf often? I’m at the reef almost every day and I’ve got a good memory when it comes to faces. I would have remembered seeing you around.”

 

He hated the way that his words seemed to drip with the unintentional flirtation. While it was no secret that he was something of a flirt, he did everything with purpose. A kind word or an enthusiastic compliment was often welcomed and, if he could brighten someone’s day with an easy few words, then he was happy to do so. His flirtation was always lighthearted and he never made any actual advances, he just liked to see people happy and share a smile with a stranger. This, however, was very different; no matter how much he tried to avoid it, he just couldn’t stop himself from testing the waters. Takashi Shirogane seemed like a kind, funny, handsome man and the tug that he felt towards him just wouldn’t allow him to forget it.

 

“I do surf, but I just haven’t done it in this area. I just moved down here a few months ago and it’s taken me a while to get back to the water. Some first day back, huh?”

 

“No kidding.”

 

They paused when the waitress brought their food and lapsed into sporadic small talk while they ate. Lance learned that Shiro was out on his own, no family and no significant other, and that he spent most of his afternoons at home watching trash tv. In addition, he also learned that the prosthetic that covered the majority of his right arm was the result of being trapped in a fire that his firehouse had responded to a few years before; he’d lost his hand but he’d gotten the residents to safety. Lance, of course, had noticed the residual limb earlier as it hadn’t been until he’d gotten out of his vehicle in the parking lot of the restaurant that he’d donned his prosthetic.They chatted long after both of their plates were empty and until most of their fellow patrons had gone. By the time that the pair realized how late it had gotten, they were being asked to finish so that the staff could close.

 

“First time I’ve ever stayed so long the staff kicked me out,” Shiro joked, holding the door open for Lance who rolled his eyes when he first made a point to pull the ‘push’ door.

 

“It’s a day of firsts so it fits. I mean, unless you just break your nose all the time as an excuse to take handsome young men out on impromptu dates.”

 

Snorting, Shiro shook his head, “you’re so full of it.”

 

Before he’d even realized it, they were standing opposite one another, their backs to their respective vehicles. There was a sudden pang in Lance’s chest when Shiro stuck out his hand, the lights in the parking lot glinting off of the metal..

 

“Thank you again, Lance. It was nice to meet you.”

 

He had never liked goodbyes. Lance took his hand and there was a pause, the contact lasting longer than it should have; neither of them could look away from one another. Lance pulled away.

 

“You too, Shiro. You could come back to the reef and surf with me-”

 

He groaned the minute he’d realized what he’d said.

 

“-shit, I forgot you can’t even get in the water until your nose heals. I’m sorry.”

 

A deep laugh rumbled in his companion’s chest and he pushed that stunning, white, mess of bangs out of his face as he spoke.

 

“Don’t be sorry, it’s okay. I might see you around, some time, actually; even just being on the beach tends to help me unwind.”

 

“Okay then, I hope I see you again some time.”

 

“Me too.”

 

Though there was nothing else to say, neither of them moved for a long moment, each of them waiting for… something. Shiro turned.

 

“Goodnight, Lance.”

 

“Goodnight, Shiro.”

 

* * *

 

The breeze whipped his hair into a frenzy as he took off deep behind the peak of the wave and dropped into the barrel, the wall of water steadily progressing to his right as he rode through the tube. Lance couldn’t help but grin, the feel of the spray from the coursing curtain of water sending goosebumps prickling along his skin as he raced the wave. He’d taken the day to himself since his class had been canceled and, per usual, he’d decided to hit the reef. If he were being completely honest, however, he’d only half come for the surfing. After the previous night that he’d spent laughing over dinner with a handsome stranger, he couldn’t help but want to be optimistic; maybe, if he were lucky, he’d get to see him again.

 

Fate, as luck would have it, was on his side. As he flicked out and turned towards the shore, getting out of the way of the other surfers, he noticed a lone figure sitting out on the beach. If the glint of sunlight bouncing off of his arm hadn’t given him away immediately, the tuft of white forelock blowing in the wind certainly would have. With a wide grin splitting his face, Lance made for him. Like honey, the warmth from the night before spread through his chest, thick and almost sickeningly sweet, as he hit the shore line. Picking up his board, he jogged over to where Shiro sat and pushed his wet hair back from his face.

 

“Hey!”

 

Shiro tilted his chin up to send him a smile.

 

“Hey, Lance; nice moves out there.”

 

“Thanks,” he beamed, dropping down to take a seat a few feet from him, “you look better today. How do you feel?”

 

It was true; the bruises beneath his eyes that crawled over the bridge of his nose had already begun lightening and there was much less visible swelling than there had been the day before.

 

“I feel better,” he said, looking back out at the water to watch some of the other people on their boards, readjusting so that he was resting his elbows on his knees, his fingers loosely intertwined, “still hurts a little though. It’s nice to see you again.”

 

“Yeah, you too.”

 

“You know, you don’t need to stay beached on my account. Go have fun.”

 

Lance shook his head and copied his posture, “I was done for the day anyway, besides, it’s no fun if you can’t join.”

 

Shiro chuckled, turning to aim him a glance, “you really don’t have to sit here with me you know.”

 

“Are you trying to run me off? But I’m so charming and witty!”

 

“You forgot modest.”

 

“You’re right! Charming, witty, and modest. Some people say I’m handsome, to boot.”

 

“Ugh,” Shiro groaned good-naturedly, “you really are a mess.”

 

“Made ya laugh,” Lance stuck out his tongue, “so it was worth it.”

 

“Tell me something, Prince Valiant.”

 

“Anything, O’lovely damsel in distress.”

 

“How is Your Princeliness not attached to anyone?”

 

Shrugging a shoulder, Lance found it hard to look at him and instead focused his attention out to the ocean.

 

“I just haven’t found anyone who brings out that spark-”

 

_Except you._

 

“-what about you? How does a guy who looks like you and has a killer smile like that not have someone waiting at home all aquiver?”

 

Snorting, Takashi leaning over and bumped his shoulder with his own.

 

“Aquiver? Really?”

 

“I work with what I got. Answer the question.”

 

Shiro followed his example and shifted his gaze back to the sea as well.

 

“The same, I guess? Plus, not everyone is willing to look past this,” he muttered, a hint of bitterness creeping into his voice as he flexed the fingers of his prosthetic hand, “and I guess you can’t blame them.”

 

He couldn’t take it, seeing the way that his eyes narrowed as he looked down at his hand.

 

“I can,” Lance said sternly, reaching out to grab his wrist before he could put his hand back on his lap, “I can blame them all day long. Your hand doesn’t make you any less you, besides, you’re a hero. This doesn’t have to mean that you’re not whole. It’s a part of you now and that makes it beautiful, doesn’t it?”

 

Shiro opened his mouth to speak and then promptly shut it, unable to do anything but stare as Lance continued.

 

“I mean, I don't know how much that means coming from someone who is basically a stranger but that’s just how I feel about it. Anyone who can’t look at all of you as deserving of love isn’t someone you need in your life anyway.”

 

It took him far too long to realize that he was still holding onto his wrist and the full weight of his words hit him like a brick. He released him like the contact had burned him.

 

“I mean, that’s just my two cents, sorry I didn’t mean to overstep or anything-”

 

“Lance.”

 

Gulping, he turned to look to his left and found Shiro wearing a soft smile.

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Thank you.”

 

“Anytime,” he murmured quietly after a sigh of relief.

 

They sat together for a while, lapsing into that easy camaraderie similar to the the night before as they shared little stories from their lives and got to know each other better.

 

“You know, I really like that necklace and your bracelet.”

 

Lance rubbed the shark tooth hanging from his blue on black leather bracelet between his fingers, polishing off a spec of dirt adjacent to several of the sky-blue accent beads.

 

“Thanks, I have a thing for sharks.”

 

“Oh yeah? I just figured you were trying to be edgy,” Shiro teased, dulling his grin after it spread too wide and caused him to wince.

 

“Nah, I just really like them.”

 

“I think it looks good on you.”

 

“Yeah? Maybe we should get you one, then you can try to be edgy.”

 

“Pfft.”

 

After a small silence, the words just burst through Lance’s lips.

 

“So, hey, do you have anywhere to be?”

 

That seemed to catch Shiro off guard.

 

“Uh, no? Why?”

 

“I’m starving. Want to go get something to eat? My treat.”

 

The rolling anxiety in his gut strengthened with each second that he didn’t answer and he feared that he might have misread the situation or the interest. Maybe he was the only one feeling this… _whatever the hell it was_. Takashi’s face was completely unreadable for a moment before his lips turned up and the corners of his eyes crinkled as he smiled and nodded his affirmation.

 

“Yeah, I think I’d like that.”

 

Brows shooting up, Lance’s gaze combed his face looking for any hint of insincerity and found none. He didn’t want to try to truly look into the joy that coursed through him, he just wanted to enjoy it. Yes, there was _definitely_ something there.

 

“Come on, then,” he said, getting to his feet and reaching out a hand to help pull Shiro to his, “let me show you the best hidden gem in town.”

 

“Lead the way.”

 

Like the night before, they shared a meal together and bonded over little facts from their mutual love of baseball and animals to their shared hatred of licorice... And that was how it began, their new ritual. Nearly every day for the next two and a half weeks, Shiro would stop by the reef whenever he could and Lance would come to shore to talk about their days. Afterwards, the two would have dinner and take turns paying. The small filler conversations became deeper and the more they spoke the more they shared. Shiro opened up about the trials of his amputation and Lance told him about how he’d always felt a little like no one needed him.

 

No matter how long their days together were, each one felt progressively shorter as they both soon felt a great unwillingness to part. Their smiles grew softer, their voices more intimate, and their conversations more meaningful. The days bled together like a weeping palette, creating an unexpected masterpiece, and by the second week both of them were lost though neither confided in the other how deeply their feelings had grown. It was there in every casual touch, every ‘accidental’ brush of fingertips, every undivided look, and every little smile. They didn’t share numbers, both of them afraid to push the other too fast, and that was, in part, what led to the incident that changed the rhythm of their relationship.

 

* * *

 

Lance sat on the beach and looked out at the men and women gathering in the lineup out in the water, watching several as they geared up for the next wave. A heavy sigh blew over his lips as his fingers absently drew patterns in the sand. His chest was heavy and he couldn’t find it in him to offer up a polite smile when one of the regulars passed him and offered up a wave. Five days; it had been five days since he’d last seen Shiro. At first he thought maybe things had gotten hectic at the firehouse, it wasn’t like disaster kept a schedule after all, but even if he missed a day or two, he never let it go past that. It was hard not to wonder if he’d done something wrong, if he’d said something that upset him, or if maybe he’d just gotten bored of him.

 

The thoughts swirled like a storm in the back of his mind, darkening his outlook and shadowing his thoughts. _It was too good to be true_ , he thought to himself as he pulled his knees up to his chest, crossing his arms over them and letting his head drop until his forehead was resting against his arms. He thought of when Shiro has asked him several weeks back about why he wasn’t attached, remembering when he’d said that he hadn’t found anyone that had brought out the spark. In a few weeks time, Shiro had not only set the spark within him, he had stoked it into a roaring blaze. _And now he’s gone_ , Lance thought, pursing his lips to keep them from quivering.

 

“Lance!”

 

He’d thought he was imagining it, it wouldn’t have been the first time, but the second time he felt his limbs tense.

 

“Hey, Lance!”

 

He was on his feet in the blink of an eye, turning on his heel so quickly that sand spit up around his ankles. Shiro was waving at him, jogging down the beach in his direction. All of the thoughts that he’d had, all of the insecurities that had been eating at him, and all of the need that he’d felt melded together and spurred him forward. He ran towards him and, when he met him, silenced his fears and threw his arms around his neck to pull him down to meet his lips. The muscles beneath his touch stiffened and, once Lance felt it, he immediately pushed away from him, terrified and ashamed of his own rash action. His words came out in disorganized clusters, sentences refusing to form properly on his tongue.

 

“Shit, _shit_ , I’m sorry, I didn’t-”

 

He struggled to find the words while Shiro just stood there and blinked, eyes wide in surprise.

 

“I didn’t mean… It’s just that I thought maybe you were tired of hanging out with me-”

 

Warmth. Shiro’s hands came up to frame his face, thumbs grazing his cheekbones as he tilted Lance’s face upwards. The breath caught in his chest as he slotted their lips together, his heart beating frantically at the confines of his ribcage as Shiro led, his sweet flavor combined with the tart tang of firehouse coffee rolling across Lance’s tastebuds as he opened beneath the soft insistence of his tongue. Sound faded, the screeches of gulls and sound of crashing waves becoming distant and foreign as one of Shiro’s hands dropped to cup his hip and he was pulled against his body, molding to each rise and fall of his form.

 

When they finally parted, there was only a sliver of space between them as Shiro’s fingers curved around his hip and refused to allow him to step back. He dropped his forehead to Lance’s, breath coming out in ragged pants while Lance held to the front of his white t-shirt for support, too drunk on him to trust himself to move.

 

“I missed you too,” he murmured quietly, fingers rubbing gently at his skin, “and I’m sorry that I haven’t been here. I’m also a little sorry for that kiss-”

 

When Lance’s gaze shot up to his he immediately backtracked.

 

“-not for kissing you, I’ve been wanting to do that for weeks, but because I’ve had the flu and I could have given it to you. I couldn’t even manage to get off my couch. I wanted to call you but I never asked you to exchange numbers-”

 

“-because you were worried it might scare me off?”

 

“Yeah,” he breathed, “I didn’t want to come off like a creep.”

 

Lance couldn’t help it, the laughter bubbled up of his own accord and spilled past his lips until it was all he could do to get a breath in edgewise.

 

“What’s so funny?”

 

“I was worried too, that’s why I didn’t offer you my number. We’re too old to be this dumb, Shiro.”

 

“Mmm,” Shiro hummed with a chuckle, letting both hands fall so that he could clasp them behind the small of Lance’s back before he brushed his lips past his ear, “you should just call me Takashi.”

 

A shiver played his spine and skittered down his limbs as the deep, intimate, tone of his voice as his breath fanned over Lance’s sensitive skin.

 

“You know, people are probably looking at us, Takashi,” Lance mumbled, a thrill racing through his veins at the feel of the slight shiver that shook Shiro’s form when he spoke his name.

 

It was with what seemed like great pains that Shiro took a step back.

 

“I hate when you’re right.”

 

“Must suck to be you, then.”

 

It felt like his face was splitting, his smile so wide that it hurt his cheeks. It was worth all of his worry to have gotten to that moment, he was positive of it. Shiro was about to retort with something when a thought struck Lance out of the blue.

 

“Oh, right! I was going to give this to you a few days ago but,... well…”

 

“Sorry,” Shiro said quietly, rubbing a hand down his arm before he let it fall away, “I really am. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

 

“It’s okay, really. Anyway,” Lance fished the item out of the pockets of his shorts and held it out to him, “you said you liked mine so I found one that I thought you would like. I know it’s silly and I don't know if you even wear jewelry-”

 

“Would you put it on for me?”

 

Lance looked up from the item to gaze at Shiro, struck dumb by the immediate acceptance. He could only nod as he fumbled clumsily with it, taking several tries before he got it clasped properly. The bracelet fit perfectly on his left wrist, the same one that Lance wore his on. Instead of the blue accents, Shiro’s were purple and the band that cut through the center of the black backing was white. A shark tooth hung just beneath a cluster of leather wrapped beading.

 

“Now we match,” he chuckled, feeling a little awkward as he watched Takashi run his fingers over the present.

 

Shiro surprised him by reaching out to take his chin between his thumb and forefinger, tilting his face upwards once more to press a soft kiss at the corner of his mouth before releasing him.

 

“I love it, thank you; you’re so thoughtful.”

 

“I, uh, I’m glad you like it. Oh, and there’s something that I wanted to ask you.”

 

“I’m all ears.”

 

Lance rubbed at the back of his neck, feeling like a teenager who couldn’t even get through a practiced speech.

 

“My family is having a get together tomorrow at my parents place in Rincon and they wanted me to invite you to come along. I mean, of course I want you to come, I didn’t mean that I _didn’t_ want you to come it’s just… I mean, you don’t _have_ to and I know that it’s like a three hour drive but you can always just ride with me and there’s awesome surfing at the point and Christ I’m rambling _why won't you stop me_?”

 

With a groan at his own idiocy, Lance let his head fall to Shiro’s shoulder, hiding his face.

 

“You’re such a goof, Lance,” Shiro snickered, rubbing his back, “I’d love to come with you, but I just have one question.”

 

Lance lifted his head, peering up at him through his lashes.

 

“Yeah?”

 

He should have known by the smug grin on his face.

 

“Have you been talking to your family about me?”

 

Lance had no doubt that he turned fifty shades of red at the teasing note in his voice and the delighted grin.

 

“Oh my god, shut up. Let’s just go get some food.”

 

“One track mind.”

 

“Says the guy who practically mauled me on a public beach.”

 

“I believe you started it, Prince Valiant.”

 

“Whatever.”

 

The pair was all smiles as they walked up the beach together, and Lance felt like he might combust from elation when Shiro’s hand brushed his own before taking it loosely in his grasp. He couldn’t remember ever being so overjoyed at holding someone’s hand.

 

* * *

 

The wind whipped through their hair as they cruised towards Rincon the following morning with all the windows down and Shiro didn’t know that he’d ever felt as blissfully happy as he did when he was sitting in the passenger seat of that jeep listening to Lance sing aloud to every song that came on the radio. As he belted the lyrics, he had a habit of tapping his fingers on the center console and Shiro just couldn’t help himself. Sliding his arm up alongside Lance’s, he dipped his fingers beneath his hand and took it in his own before threading their fingers together. Lance paused mid-lyric and, from his periphery, Shiro noticed his cheeks and the tips of his ears redden; he couldn’t help but chuckle to himself. After a few seconds, he was singing again and he squeezed Shiro’s hand. They were still new, the casual touches, yet they were always welcomed.

 

Though it was nearly a three hour ride, it felt like it had passed in the blink of an eye. When they arrived at the Point, the pair just sat in their seats for several long moments, enjoying the feel of the other’s touch. Lance’s ridiculous sunglasses had slid down his nose to bare his eyes and, when he shot a glance over at Shiro, he couldn’t see anything past the shy delight present in his gaze. It was perfect. When they finally forced themselves to pull away and let themselves out, Lance was the first to speak.

 

“Nobody is going to be home for a while so how about we reintroduce you to the water, Takashi,” Lance suggested with a grin as he moved towards the back to pull out his board.

 

“Are you just looking for another opportunity to save me?”

 

“That depends, this time do I get to give you mouth to mouth?”

 

Shiro snorted at that, shaking his head as he followed him to the back side of the vehicle. He grabbed his own board and, when he turned towards where Lance had already scampered off to, he found himself frozen in place. He was struck by his incredible energy, sparkling eyes, and wide, dazzling, smile and for a moment he could only stand there, awed. Just like the first time that they had met, Lance was bare but for a pair of blue swim trunks, a shark tooth necklace dangling from around his throat, and that blue-bead shark tooth bracelet that matched his own. He couldn’t help the feeling of deja vu.

 

“Are you coming or are you just going to stare all day,” Lance laughed, dancing across the sand, board under his arm, as he made for the water and sent a wink back at him.

 

That familiar halo of light seemed to gleam around his skin, a vibrant frame against his body, and Shiro felt his chest constrict.

 

“I’m right behind you!”

 

He didn’t know what the future would hold for the pair of them but the stuttering rhythm of his heart told him that this was certainly the beginning of something beautiful.

  
  
  



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